| The state of Utah is one of the least populated states in relation to its size, but it’s got a huge tourism industry, and for good reason. Utah’s terrain is diverse and vast, with elevations ranging from around 2000 feet at the great salt lakes to around 13,500 at its highest point, King’s Peak. Its terrain varies from expansive lakes, to rocky arid deserts and sand dunes, to green pine forests and valleys, to jagged snow-capped mountaintops. Part of the largest man-made lakes, Lake Powell is found here, and is a popular spot for boating, water-skiing, and other water-sports. Its high elevation deserts, such as Moab, are home to free-roaming cattle, mountain lions, wolves, and other wildlife, as well as some of the most amazing natural formations in the world, including Arches National Park, where visitors and hikers can see the ever-popular and often-photographed Delicate Arch. There are also many other arches in the area and magnificent rock formations found nowhere else in the world in places such as Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, and Zion national parks. The state is also known for its world-class ski resorts due to its varied mountain terrain and the quality of its snow, indicative in one of the states most popular mottoes, “The Best Snow on Earth”. Even in the summer months, the mountains and deserts alike still support a wide variety of rock-climbing, hiking, camping, and mountain biking. The Sundance Film Festival is also held in Utah. For those more interested in urban vacations, Salt Lake City is a major attraction in itself. Here visitors will find the amenities of a great American city as well as certain characteristics that set it apart from all others, including the highest concentration of members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, or Mormons, Brigham Young University, and the always exciting Utah Jazz basketball team. King's Peak, Moab, Arches National Park, Delicate Arch, Lake Powell, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Zion, Brigham Young University, Utah Jazz |